Firefighters return to dampen down 'suspicious' blaze at Acorn Leisure Centre in Sussex

14 fire engines with more than 100 crew were brought in to control the blaze at spa facilities next to the Copthorne hotel on Sunday (7 Aug).

Firefighters have returned to the scene of a blaze at a leisure centre near Crawley, which police have said might have been started deliberately.

Crews from Burgess Hill and East Grinstead returned on Monday morning (8 Aug) to carry out re-inspections in the Acorns pool and spa facility next to the Copthorne Hotel.

One hotspot was identified and firefighters will return throughout the day to check for further issues.

The Fire Investigation Officers are also at the scene, carrying out detailed inspections to determine the cause of the fire.

At its height, around 100 firefighters were called to the scene on Sunday morning and crew spent all day putting out the blaze.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said their response was large because "there were several risks and hazards identified, including the severity of the fire, chemicals from the swimming pool and the location."

The hotel itself has not been damaged and no injuries have been reported.

Copthorne Road was closed for much of the day to make room for the emergency services.

Local people were advised to keep doors and windows closed due to the amount of smoke in the area.

Area Manager Dave Bray said teams had worked incredibly hard to control the flames.

Dave Bray, Area Manager, West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said: "Activities of the first attending crews was absolutely critical to the ongoing safety of this incident, where they were able to remove chemicals associated with the swimming pool from the building."

The extent of the damage to the leisure centre isn't yet known but pictures appear to show the roof has been badly burned.

The cause is now being investigated, but Sussex Police said initial reports suggest it may have been started deliberately.